The present invention generally relates to a device and a method for supplying conditioned air for heating and cooling to an aircraft. More specifically, the present invention provides a supply hose in a protected container. The container may deliver the required length of hose to the aircraft and retract the hose when the hose is not needed.
It is, of course, generally known to supply commercial aircraft with conditioned air for heating and cooling. Typically, conditioned air is supplied to the aircraft from a jetway. The air is delivered with a flexible air hose. The supply hose is typically seventy feet in length. When not in use, the supply hose is stored in a bin under the jetway. Occasionally, when time permits, a worker may roll the hose into a wound roll before storing the hose in the bin. Often, an individual leaves the hose in a pile in the bin, thereby increasing undue wear of the hose and significantly affecting the performance of the hose when in use.
In addition, while all aircraft have a standard connector, this connector is not located at the same point on all aircraft. Further, the jetway is not always located at the same distance from the aircraft. Some aircraft require seventy feet of supply hose for the conditioned air to reach the aircraft from the jetway while others may only require twenty feet. All seventy feet of the supply hose must be removed from the bin regardless of how much hose is required. Whenever less than seventy feet of the hose is required, the hose may be bent and kinked between the jetway and aircraft. A bent hose and/or kinked hose causes a reduction in airflow to the aircraft which, in turn, reduces the efficiency of the heating or cooling. In some cases, the aircraft cannot be adequately heated or cooled using air supplied by the jetway. Additionally, spreading the supply hose on the ramp causes safety problems and undue wear.
A need, therefore, exists for a device and a method for supplying conditioned air for heating and/or cooling to a commercial aircraft that may supply a hose of the appropriate length and that may retract the hose when the hose is no longer needed.
Further, while U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/799,144 discloses a device and a method for supplying conditioned air for heating and/or cooling to a commercial aircraft or other object, the apparatus of the present invention has an improved hose and drive belt for improved manipulation of the hose. Further, the apparatus of the present invention has a retractor with a linear actuator that may provide for an easier operation for supplying and retracting the hose.
The present invention generally relates to a device and a method for supplying conditioned air for heating and cooling to an aircraft.
To this end, in an embodiment, an apparatus for providing conditioned air from a first environment to a second environment is provided. The apparatus has a housing, a flexible hose, a drive unit attached to the housing and a linear actuator connected to the drive unit. The housing has an interior defined by a first end and a second end. The flexible hose is in the interior of the housing. The inner tube is within the flexible hose and the inner tube supports the flexible hose.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further has a tube bracket attached to the first end of the housing wherein the tube bracket supports the inner tube.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further has a sensor attached to the inner tube for monitoring air
In another embodiment, the drive unit has a belt and further wherein the belt has grooves that engage the flexible hose.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further has protrusions on the flexible hose wherein the protrusions correspond to grooves on the belt.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further has a motor attached to the drive unit.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further has a hose having protrusions wherein the hose extends between the inner tube and the housing.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further has a finger located between the inner tube and the drive unit wherein the finger guides the hose.
Moreover, in another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for retracting a hose is provided. The apparatus has a housing having an interior wherein the hose is in the housing, a drive unit on the housing and an actuator on the housing for retracting the drive unit. The drive unit has a belt and the belt has a plurality of grooves. Protrusions on the hose correspond to the plurality of grooves of the belt.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further has a guide on the housing for guiding the hose.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further has a motor attached to the housing wherein the motor powers the drive unit.
Moreover, in another embodiment of the present invention, a method for supplying conditioned air from a first environment to a second environment is provided. The method comprises the steps of: storing a hose having protrusions in a housing; providing a drive unit on the housing; providing a belt on the drive unit wherein the belt has grooves; engaging the hose with the belt wherein the grooves of the belt correspond to the protrusions of the hose; extracting the hose from the housing with the drive unit; attaching the housing to a source of conditioned air; and attaching the hose to the second environment.
In another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of monitoring air pressure in the hose.
In another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of releasing the hose from the second environment.
In another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of retracting the hose into the housing with the drive unit.
In another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of manually retracting the hose into the housing.
In another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of releasing the hose from the belt of the drive unit.
In another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of releasing the hose from the drive unit by retracting the drive unit with an actuator.
It is, therefore, an advantage of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for supplying conditioned air to an aircraft with a hose in a protected container.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method with a hose in a protected container to reduce undue wear of the hose and maintenance performance of the hose.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method where only the necessary amount of hose may be provided to supply an aircraft with conditioned air.
Still further, an advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method that increases safety by storing unused portions of the hose in a container instead of spreading the unused hose on the ground.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for a wheel on the container such that the container and hose may be rotated to different positions and/or locations.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for positioning the housing with the hose in a vertical or horizontal position.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for a retractor that retracts the hose into or out from the housing.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for a linear actuator that retracts drive units to allow for manual manipulation of the hose.
Further, an advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for a belt having grooves equally spaced to fit around the ribs of the hose.
Still further, an advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for a belt having grooves equally spaced to fit around protrusions of the hose.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.